A CHESHIRE beauty therapist told The Chronicle how she dined with bride Anni Dewani in a South African National Park days before she was murdered.

Angela Bartlett and her husband Chris of Woodlands Way, Tarporley spent a day with newleyweds Anni and Shrien Dewani when they were on South African safari at Chitwah Chitwah, in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve.

Just four days later they learnt the shocking news of Anni’s kidnapping and brutal murder.

Angela and Chris met Anni and Shrien on the last day of their own safari.

They travelled with the young couple on an evening game drive and then sat opposite them during and evening meal. Angela said she was immediately struck by Anni’s beauty.

“She was an absolutely beautiful girl , the photographs you see do not do her justice.”

Over dinner Angela and Anni chatted not only about their safari adventure and her wedding.

Angela said: “She had some fading henna tattoos on her hands and was explaining to us it was from the wedding. She told me she was brought up in Sweden and had been married in India.”

Angela said she had noticed that Anni was not really wearing the appropriate clothing for going on Safari. “She told me she didn’t know she was going to South Africa for her honeymoon until Shrien’s mother told her after the wedding, and she didn’t know how long she was staying.”

Angela said during the evening meal they were being bitten by mosquitoes.

She said: “I joked with her ‘thank goodness for the malaria tablets’.

“I remember feeling really quite worried about her, because I was bitten four times that night.”

Angela who owns Angela Bartlett’s Health and Beauty at the Wild Boar Hotel in Beeston said : “She was obviously a very well groomed girl, and had beautiful Chanel jewellery on.

“She was very interested in my beauty salon and was asking me about it.

“When I told her I was based in Cheshire she turned to her husband and asked him ‘Do we live near there’, when he said no she looked quite disappointed.”

When Angela and Chris left the safari and continued on their holiday she said they had nothing but fond memories of 28-year-old Anni Dewani.

But just four days later they learnt of Anni’s shocking fate.

“We saw the report of her murderseveral days later in the hotel room. I didn’t recognise her at first but I recognised him. I was so shocked we couldn’t believe it.

“I have been to South Africa so many times. I don’t feel unsafe, but my husband was a bit more wary after this.”

On Tuesday Shrien Dewani, of Bristol, was arrested on suspicion of conspiring to murder Anni Dewani. He appeared at City of Westminster Magistrates in relation to her death and told the court he did not consent to extradition.

Every day new revelations about the couple appear in the national press and Angela said she can’t help but think of those hours she spent with young Anni who was looking forward to a long life with her new husband.

Angela added: “I just feel so terribly sad, and I just think it is a waste of such a young life. I just feel for her family, and I would want to let them know she that she was enjoying the safari.”